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Data Management

The Data and Monitoring Division ( D&M ) provides ongoing support for the operation of SCAG's Census Data Center and dissemination of decennial census results ensuring that local jurisdictions receive a complete count and provides for training opportunities on working with planning and census data files. The Division also supports the SCAG Web Accessible Geodata Search (WAGS) system which provides users with information in a Geographic Information System format through the Internet. The Division supports the maintenance and improvements to the SCAG Web Atlas, which provides interactive mapping of socioeconomic data. It is also responsible for the administration and fulfillment of information requests from public agencies, local jurisdictions, media, academic institutions and the general public.

Specifically, the Data and Monitoring Division takes a lead role in the development, utilization or administration of the following databases and activities relative to the needs of the SCAG region:

A. National Database

Census - Decennial data
SCAG has partnered with the California Department of Finance and the US Census Bureau for most of the last three decades to coordinate activities dealing with the decennial census. In this capacity, the D&M Division takes a lead role in the planning of the decennial census through the training of representatives from local jurisdictions. Participating in outreach activities to ensure an accurate count of the population in the SCAG region. Lastly, the D&M Division handles over 4,000 requests per year from users of census data.

American Community Survey (ACS) - Annual data
Working with the Census Bureau staff, the D&M Division will be coordinating the implementation of the ACS. The ACS is a new approach for collecting accurate, timely information needed for critical government functions. This new approach provides up-to-date profiles of America's communities every year. Community leaders and other data users will have timely information for planning and evaluating public programs for everyone from newborns to the elderly. Initial survey results will be available beginning Fall 2006.

Current Population Survey (CPS) - Monthly data
Staff analyzes the results from the CPS as a way of monitoring the vibrancy of the region for the State of the Region Report and as input to the development of estimates and growth projections. The CPS is a monthly survey of about 50,000 households conducted by the Bureau of the Census for the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The survey has been conducted for more than 50 years. The CPS is the primary source of information on the labor force characteristics of the U.S. population. The sample is randomly selected to represent the civilian noninstitutional population. Respondents are interviewed to obtain information about the employment status of each member of the household 15 years of age and older. However, published data focus on those 16 and over. The sample provides estimates for the nation as a whole and serves as part of model-based estimates for individual states and other geographic areas.

B. Statewide Database

Department of Finance (DOF) - Annual Data
Working with the staff at the California DOF, the Division participates in the development of annual population and household estimates. Staff also participates in the development of long-range population and housing forecasts.

Employment Development Department (EDD) - Annual Data
SCAG has entered into a strategic partnership with the California EDD to allow access to the ES-202 employment database. The information acquired from EDD includes Business Name, Address, Industrial Classification, Employment Counts and Payroll data for each business site in the SCAG region. The information from EDD is used for economic analysis, economic development and in the development of base year employment data. This base year employment data is then utilized in the development of employment forecasts required in the preparation of SCAG's Regional Transportation Plan.

C. Regional Database

Aerial Photography
SCAG has acquired a set of digital ortho-rectified photography for the entire region including Mexicali, Mexico. The information was done at a 1-meter resolution for the urban portions of the region which is equal to 9,133 square miles. The additional 29,000 square miles were done at 2 meter resolution.

The information collected as part of this effort will be used in the creation of a regional land use database. The aerial photography product can be used as a GIS analytical tool. As part of this effort a separate seamless Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the entire SCAG region was developed.

Existing Land Use
The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) has completed the 2005 land use data update using 2005 digital aerial imagery. The 2005 land use database includes land use information for the counties of Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura and Mexicali, Mexico.

Regional and local agencies, academic institutions and the private sector can use the land use data for transportation and land use planning analyses and reports.

The 2005 land use database is now available via SCAG's website.

Jurisdictional General Plan Update
SCAG maintains a complete set of city general plans for every city within its six county region. Each general plan is stored in computerized format in SCAG's Geographic Information System. SCAG uses these plans to facilitate generating its socioeconomic forecasts.

General plans are constantly being updated by the individual cities. To stay current, SCAG collects and reviews city plans on an on-going basis. It then updates its own copies whenever a change has occurred.

Jurisdictional Boundary Update

Working with the local jurisidictions, staff coordinates the update and maintenance of current jurisdictional boundaries. The database will be built from the 2000 Census Tiger file and updated to reflect new incorporations, annexations and de-annexations that have occurred since April 1, 2000. This ongoing project will ensure that we have the most current boundary file for each of the 187 cities and 6 counties.

SCAG Regional Council District

SCAG is made up of six counties: Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura. There are 187 cities within the six counties and 159 cities are paying members. SCAG's board is made up of 76 Regional Council members. Each member represents a district, which is made up of one or more cities that total approximately 250,000 people.

D. Development of An Integrated Regional Information System (IRIS)

Staff will first develop two basic modules including spatial and non-spatial data within the agency. Upon completion, the two modules will then be integrated through ArcSDE into an internal data warehouse. The internal data warehouse will then be expanded to a Regional Information System by integrating external databases.

IRIS will contain both real-time and static (non-real time) data for dynamic analysis. The data network contains various types of data including transportation, land use, socioeconomic, housing, environment, general plans and jurisdictional boundaries. Users will be able to quickly find any type of data needed by utilizing indexing or search engine and download the data for further analysis.

IRIS will also allow users to effectively integrate data sets from multiple data sources.

E. Data/GIS Task Force (DTF)

The management and coordination of regionally significant planning data issues are discussed with the DTF. Working closely with the DTF a core set of data sets have been identified as useful and required by each agency. SCAG acquires, analyzes and validates the regional planning database identified by the DTF. The DTF also assists in the development of regional data standards. The end result will be the creation of an electronic data library that will access to all of the regionally significant databases developed or acquired by SCAG.

Among the core data sets maintained or developed by SCAG are:

• Existing Land Use Database
• Aerial Photography of the SCAG region
• General Plan Land Use Database
• Regional Employment Database
• 1980, 1990 and 2000 Census data
• SCAG Growth Projections

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